Citing the need to offer town residents clear options and adequate data, the Town Center Septic Task Force has drafted a warrant article for Annual Town Meeting that would appropriate funds for a detailed study of multiple solutions to the town center’s septic problems.
The warrant article asks for an amount not to exceed $40,000 to pay for site assessments, legal counsel, engineering alternatives, cost analysis, and public communication.
According to task force member Chris Ashley, the purpose of the study is to gather information, with the goal of presenting clear choices to town residents in time for a Special Town Meeting this fall. With knowledge about distinct options and the costs and benefits of each choice, residents will be better equipped to make informed decisions that address individual needs as well as the collective needs of the town.
“We need to start a process,” said Ashley, “and we need the resources to investigate the options.”
The task force’s revised warrant article is a significant change from its earlier plan, which was simply to explore the possibility of a comprehensive septic system for the town center. The task force, which formed last December, is composed of town residents Chris Ashley, Ron Ricci, and Leo Blair, as well as DPW Director Rich Nota, Town Administrator Tim Bragan, and Selectman Tim Clark.
At the task force’s meeting Monday, Ashley explained that the group’s timeline to complete the original vision was too optimistic. On studying the possibility of a town center septic system, Ashley acknowledged that the issue is a complicated one, with town residents expressing strong opinions on all sides of the issue.
“What we’re considering is not really a technical question so much as a political one,” he said. “Whether we’re looking at an on-site solution, or whether we’re looking to use the capacity at the wastewater treatment plant and have a broader sewer district, it’s part of a bigger question: How do we see our common needs versus individual needs?”
Ashley explained that the task force has come to the conclusion that the best plan at this juncture is to offer town residents clear choices, supported by thorough data and an explanation of the costs and benefits of each option.
At this point in the process, a number of solutions for the town center have been proposed.
One option would be to connect only town buildings in a limited municipal sewer district, possibly using the town’s existing septic system. According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the current system uses 9,000 gallons per day but has a maximum capacity of 23,000 gallons. The town is legally allowed to increase capacity to 80 percent of the system’s maximum, which is approximately 18,000 gallons, or double its current usage by the schools and the library. Advocates of a limited municipal sewer district cite the ease of getting the system up and running as well as the relatively cheaper cost of the system when compared to a new comprehensive system.
Another option would be to build a new, more comprehensive system that could serve not only town buildings but would also offer property owners in the town center the ability to hook in at an additional cost. Proponents of the more comprehensive system argue that while more expensive, the cost to the town would be reduced in large part by the funds provided by fees and betterments paid by private property owners participating in the municipal sewer system. A comprehensive system could include businesses like the General Store, which are currently hampered in their ability to modify or upgrade their service to customers. Other beneficiaries would be town center residents and the three churches in the town center, many of whom are faced with aging septic systems and limited (or no) space for upgrading their systems when they fail or need to be repaired. A more comprehensive system, say advocates, also provides more long-term flexibility should the needs of the town center change over time.
The task force is also open to exploring other approaches to solving the septic problems of the town center buildings, by examining the possibility of installing alternative-technology septic systems at each building site.
Task force member Leo Blair agreed strongly with Ashley’s description of the project’s scope.
“Let’s gather information and establish unshakeable facts from independent resources,” he said. “Then we can enter the political spectrum of what’s good for the town or not good for the town.”
“There are too many variables to presuppose any particular solution,” added Ashley. “There are a number of technical solutions that would work, but we have to consider what serves the broader need.”
Moving forward, the task force also discussed the possible composition of a future standing septic committee. All task force members present concurred that it should include representatives of key town boards, such as the Board of Health and the Finance Committee, as well as town residents and individuals with related expertise. At the urging of residents present at the meeting, however, task force members decided that a future standing committee should be made up of individuals appointed by the task force rather than identifying specific individuals at this point.
Ashley acknowledged that for many town residents, the issue of a town center septic system is a thorny one that often elicits a “visceral” response. He believes this is due in part to the fact that it strikes at the heart of some basic political issues.
“How much are we willing to do to recognize our common interests?” he asked. “That’s a tension that exists at every level of government. There are people who say, ‘I don’t want to spend one cent to help this guy with this problem unless there’s a compelling public need.’ Are we willing to engage in a process that allows us to speak about these things, or are we going to quash every effort to have a broader discussion? Do we want to set up a means by which we can start this conversation or do we not even want to talk about it?”
